Adjustable soffit plate



July 2, 1963 D. R. LAslER ADJUSTABLE soFFIT PLATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001,. 29, 1954 lv all y n! l l, l

D. R. LASIER ADJUSTABLE SOFFIT PLATE July 2, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1954 INVENTOR'. [7CH/dfi [@5466 -Umd States Patent O 3,095,599 ADJUSTABLE SOFFIT PLATE David R.` Lasier, Princeton, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignsgnments, to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation of California Filed Oct. 29, 1954, Ser. No. 465,507 8 Claims. (Cl. 16-49) This invention relates to new and improved means for adjusting the eiect of the yspring power and checking action of a door closing and checking device of the type ordinarily carried by the door and having an operative connection with the door frame.

An object of this invention is to provide novel adjusting means for the closing and checking action of a door whereby experimentation is eliminated and a positive adjustment may be quickly made to adapt the closer to various sizes of doors.

Another object of this invention is to provide adjusting means for `the closing and checking action of a door check and closer whereby the closing and checking means are not adjusted but the action of both may nevertheless be increased or decreased by a single adjustment.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved adjustment for door closers of the above-described type which is simple in construction, easily installed, and quickly adjusted.

Another object of 4this invention is to provide a novel adjustment for a door check and closer having an operating spindle and a mechanism connecting it to the door sill whereby the relationship of the rotation of the operating spindle and the angular displacement of the door may be easily varied.

A further object of this invention is` to provide a novel adjustment for the action of a door check and closer which will allow the spring power and checking action to be varied without affecting a predetermined relationship of the door hinge, operating spindle and the connection with the door frame.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustment having certain new and improved kstructural characteristics whereby the same door check and closer may be installed on either a heavy or light door and have substantially the same closing and controlling action on either.

Another object of Vthis invention is to provide a novel type of adjustment for the closing and checking action of a door check and closer which is so` constructed that the possibilities of improperly installing or adjusting the device are practically eliminated.

These and other objects not specifically enumerated are contemplated for this invention, as will readily appear to one skilled in the art, as the `following description proceeds.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a plan view of a concealed door checking and closing device mounted in -a door with a forearm attached to the -adjustable sofiit plate of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and showing in dotted lines a door frame to illustrate how the soiiit plate is mounted.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view with i top wall of the channel housing cut away.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the device shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 3.

By referring to the drawings, it will be noted that the 3,095,599 Patented July 2, 1963 l ICC reference numeral 10 refers generally to the soit plate embodying the invention. rlhe sofrlt plate has a bracket 11 having downwardly projecting flanges 13 defining a housing 15.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the bracket 11 is mounted on a door frame 12 by screws 19 inserted through screw holes 14. The door check and closer 16 is of the concealed type, mounted in the door 17 which is independently hung on hinges 18'. The operating spindle 20 of the door check and closer is preferably positioned substantially on the center line :of the thickness of the door. The checking and closing device may be of any well known type having a spring and a fluid chamber, and therefore the details of its construction form no part of this invention.

The crank arm 22 is secured at one end thereof to the spindle 20 and has la pivotal connection 23 with the forearm 24, at the other end thereof. The forearm 24 is pivotally connected to the soiiit plate 10 by a bolt 26, at a point underlying .the soiiit plate 10. As described hereinafter, the lbolt forms a pivot point for forearm 24 which is adjustable.

Bolt 26 has la hexagonal head 27 and a threaded portion 30 which is received in the internal threads 32 of the sliding yoke member, or slidable bearing 31. A washer 28 may be mounted on the bolt 26 between the forearm 24 and the bracket 11.

A channel-shaped housing 35 is providedfor the slidable bearing 31 and is mounted on the bracket 11 by ears which t in slots 38 in bracket 11. Flanges 36 are also provided on housing 35 to be secured to the bracket 11, such as by rivets 37 and the like.

The bolt 26 is mounted in a slot 40 in bracket 11 so that the forearm can be adjusted to any suitable pivot point position. Slot 40 may be disposed in a straight line.

It will be noted, as shown in FIGURE l, that crank anm 22 is substantially perpendicular to the face of the door when the door is in closed position, and that the depending anges 13 of the bracket 11 form a housing 15 for the .spindle 20 when the door is in closed position.

The bolt 26 is tightened in sliding bearing 31 until there is a certain minimum frictional engagement between the sliding bearing and the bracket `11. The bolt head 27 is held from turning by locking member 45- which fits over the hexagonal head 27. Locking member 45- is held in position by set screw 46 and is adjustable by threading of set screw 46 into either screw hole 47 formed in the forearm. Bolt 26 and locking member 45 being held in place by screw 46, constitute an adjustable holding feature for holding the door at any deter-mined position. By adjusting bolt 26, washer 28` and forearm 24 frictiona-lly engage soflit plate 10 to hold the door open.

As can be readily seen, by moving the slidable bearing 31 along the slot, the angle formed by crank arm 22 and forearm 2'4 may be either increased or decreased and the spring power of the door closer varied. As the angle is increased, the rotary movement of the spindle Vfor a given angular movement of the door is decreased,

and likewise as the angle formed by the crank and forearm is decreased, the rotary movement of the spindle for a given angular movement of the door is increased. If the door is relatively heavy for the size of the door check, the above angle will be decreased, whereas if the door is a light one the angle will be increased.

The sliding bearing 31 has an arm 50 provided with a slot 51. Slot 51 and the arm 50 co-operate with the set screw 55 and nut 56 to lock the sliding bearing 31 in any desired position by a convenient screwdriver adjustment. As shown in FIGURE 5, the head ofthe set screw 55 is on the bottom of the soflit plate 11 and is conveniently accessible. If adjustment of the forearm is required, it is only necessary to loosen the set screw S with a screwdriver and move the forearm to the desired position in the slot 40 and then tighten the set screw 55.

The nut S6 on set screw 55 is held from turning in any suitable manner. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, nut 56 is held from turning by lugs 60 punched inwardly of the sides of the housing 35.

This device may be used in connection with a door check and closer which is installed with the crank arm in any position with respect to the face of the door, either perpendicular or otherwise, when in closed position, and when so installed the adjustment of the forearm along slot 40 will not affect this position of the crank arm.

With the adjustment device of this invention, there is no need for altering the initial compression of the spring in the door closing device to adjust the closing action for various sizes of doors, or for drastically altering the fluid checking action. If, for example, the compression of the spring is increased so as to take care of a heavy door, it would only be necessary to adjust the flow of uid in the uid chamber to increase the checking action a sufficient amount to accommodate the increased closing action of the spring. Since both the checking and closing actions act directly on the spindle, a regulation of the relative movement of the spindle with respect to the angular displacement of the door will affect equally the checking and closing actions of the door check.

ln the present embodiment, with the flanges 13 of the soflit plate forming a housing 15 for the spindle 20 when in the closed position, the possibility of improper installation of the plate is lessened. It will be realized that the soit plate must be mounted with relation to the check in a manner to provide the necessary clearance for the spindle 20. The pivot point or position of the forearm 24 in the slot 40 with respect to the spindle is automatically determined in the desired manner. After the softit plate 10 and the door check and closer 16 have been installed, the proper position may be selected for the pivot point of the forearm 24. Such pivot point may be easily changed by merely loosening set screw 55, moving the forearm 24 to desired position and then tightening set screw 55.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device should be apparent. The sot plate is mounted in the door frame by screws through screw holes 14. The forearm of the door checking and closing device is held by bolt 26 and sliding bearing 31 on the soft plate. In adjusting the forearm to the desired position, it is only necessary to loosen the set screw 55, move the forearm 24 to the desired position and then tighten set screw 55 so that the forearm is locked for operation.

In the drawings and specications, there have been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specic terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as further defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sofiit plate for use in combination with a door, a door frame, and a door closing and checking device having a crank arm pivotally connected to one end of a forearm, said soffit plate comprising a bracket having a slot formed therein adapted to be mounted in said door frame, a slidable member mounted for sliding movement along said slot, a shank member connected to said slidable member for pivotally holding the other end of said forearm, an arm member connected to said slidable member, said arm member provided with a slot, a screw member mounted on said bracket extending through said slot in said arm member, and a threaded member on said screw member for binding said arm member at selected positions.

2. A soft plate for use in combination with a door, a door frame, and a door closing and checking device having a crank arm pivotally connected to one end of a forearm, said soft plate comprising a bracket having a slot formed therein adapted to be mounted in said door frame, a channel member above said slot, a slidable member within said channel member mounted for sliding movement along said slot, said channel member coacting with and guiding said slidable member into selected positions along said slot, a shank member having a screw connection to said slidable member for pivotally holding the other end of said forearm, and a locking member secured to said forearm and connected to said shank member to hold said shank member in non-rotatable relation to said forearm for rotating said shank member relative to said slidable member during opening of the door whereby the binding frictional action between said forearm and said sofl'it plate holds said door in selected positions.

3. A soit plate for use in combination with a door, a door frame, and a door closing and checking device having a crank arm pivotally connected to a forearm, said soft plate comprising a bracket having a slot formed therein adapted to be mounted in said door frame, a channel member above said slot, a slidable member within said channel member mounted for sliding movement above said slot, said channel member coacting with and guiding said slidable member into selected positions along said slot, means including an arm member connected to said slidable member for locking engagement with said bracket at selected positions, a shank member having a screw connection to said slidable member for pivotally holding the other end of said forearm, and a locking member secured to said forearm and connected to said shank member to hold said shank member in non-rotatable relation to said forearm for rotating said shank member relative to said slidable member during opening of the door whereby the binding frictional action between said forearm and said soit plate holds said door in selected positions.

4. A soit plate for use in combination with a door, a door frame, and a door closing and checking device lraving a crank `arm pivotally connected to one end of a forearm, said soit plate comprising a bracket having a slot formed therein adapted to be mounted in said door frame, said bracket having downwardly projecting flanges defining a housing, `a channel member above said slot, a slidable member Within said channel member mounted for sliding movement along said slot, a shank member connected to said slidable member and depending through said slot for pivotally holding the other end of said forearm yabout an axis, and holding means including a set screw spaced `from the axis of said shank member operatively associated with said slidable member and said bracket for maintaining said shank member at la selected position, said channel member coacting with and guiding said slidable member to selected positions wherein the latter member is fastened by said holding means.

5. A soit plate for use in combination with a door, a door `frame, and :a door closing and checking device having a crank arm pivotally connected to one end of a forearm, said soflit plate comprising a bracket having a slot formed therein adapted to be mounted in said door frame, .a channel member above said slot, a slidable 4member within said channel member mounted for sliding movement along said slot, a shank member `threaded in said slidable member and depending through said slot for pivotally holding the other end of said forearm, hold open means including a Ilocking member mounted on said forearm for holding said shank member `from turning relat1ve to said forearm, and holding means operationally assoclated with said bracket for maintaining said slidable member at a selected position, said channel member co.

acting with land guiding said slidable member to selected positions wherein the latter member is fastened by said holding means.

6. A sott plate for use in combination with a door, a `door frame, and a door closing `and checking device having a `crank arm pivotally connected to one end oi a forearm, said soit plate comprising a bracket having ya slot -fonmed therein `adapted to be mounted in said door frame, a channel member above said slot, a slidable member Within said channel member mounted for sliding movement along said slot, la shank member connected to said slidable member and ldepending through said slot for pivotally holding the other end of said forearm, an arm member connected to said slidable member, and holding means on said bracket for engaging said arm member to lock said slidable member in ya selected position, said channel member lcoacting with and guiding said slidable member to selected positions wherein the latter member is fastened by said holding means.

7. An adjustable soit plate for use in combination with a door, a door frame, anda door closing and checking device, having a crank anni pivotally connected to one end of -a forearm, said soliit plate comprising la bracket having a slot formed therein adapted to be mounted in said door liname, a channel member `above said slot, a

Iable member to selected positions wherein the latter member is yfastened by ysaid holding means.

8. In a door closer orf the class described having an -a-rm that pivots relatively to a door frame `as the door moves between open @and closed positions, a plate secured to the door frame and having 'a slot therein, a bearing member engaging one side of lsaid plate over said slot, -a pivot pin extending through said slot and lsorew-threarled into said bearing member, said -arm being connected to said pin on the other side of said plate `for rotation about the axis of said pin, `said pin Iand bearing member being movable along said slot to adjustably position said axis, means [for securing `said pin and bearing member in adjusted position, means `for preventing rotation of said bearing member comprising a channel member overlying said slot on said one side of said plate with the sides of said channel engageable with the bearing member in all positions of the latter lalong said slot, `and means on said arm coacting with said pivot pin for preventing relative rotation between said farm and pivot pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,734 Shaw Jan. 26, 1909 1,275,980 lNorton Aug. 13, 1917 1,472,920 Lane Nov. 6, 1923 2,220,967 Lasier Nov. 12, 1940 2,357,556 Sheldrick Sept. 5, 1944 2,469,531 Toth et al May 10, 1949 2,676,043 Roethel Apr. 20, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 686,613 Great Britain J-an. 28, 1953 

4. A SOFFIT PLATE FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH A DOOR, A DOOR FRAME, AND A DOOR CLOSING AND CHECKING DEVICE HAVING A CRANK ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE END OF A FOREARM, SAID SOFFIT PLATE COMPRISING A BRACKET HAVING AA SLOT FORMED THEREIN ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN SAID DOOR FRAME, SAID BRACKET HAVING DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGES DEFINING A HOUSING, A CHANNEL MEMBER ABOVE SAID SLOT, A SLIDABLE MEMBER WITHIN SAID CHANNEL MEMBER MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT ALONG SAID SLOT, A SHANK MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID SLIDABLE MEMBER AND DEPENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT FOR PIVOTALLY HOLDING IN THE OTHER END OF SAID FOREARM ABOUT AN AXIS, AND HOLDING MEANS INCLUDING A SET SCREW SPACED FROM THE AXIS OF SAID SHANK MEMBER OPERA- 